


The Harbinger

by Amegrahu12



Category: Original Work
Genre: F/F, Fantasy, Magic-ish, Original work - Freeform, gayyy, seriously, so so gay, winged people
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-04
Updated: 2018-03-04
Packaged: 2019-03-26 20:00:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,946
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13864971
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Amegrahu12/pseuds/Amegrahu12
Summary: Though unbeknownst to most mankind, humans are not the only sentient species. The other was driven into secrecy many years ago. Some called them spirits, others adopted them into various religions leading to the creation of the words Valkyrie, Dryad, Sprite, and Angel. These creatures were lauded for thousands of years until they were attacked by a human people who felt threatened by the more powerful creature. Their attacks lasted 200 years until the last secret village of the creatures was destroyed. Yet 14 years after their supposed extinction a young woman was discovered. The last of an innocent people destroyed by fear.





	1. The Beginning

 

A winding stream glimmered in the moonlight, the lull of which brought the forest to sleep. The insects began their nightly chorus and the birds ceased their daytime singing. This was of little comfort to the humans traipsing across the sleeping forest, their only focus was to find a camp for the night and building a fire. They were of a proud, greedy and selfish people born long after the world of goodness fell, and cruelty now penetrated the hearts of even the best of men. There was no true escape from the darkened world from which they hailed, for now even the forests, great sanctuaries of peace had begun to fall. This was the last forest left, it’s beauty could not be surpassed and even though the people were a determined lot, they could not help but stare at the paradise that surrounded them. They could not know that this forest held a much more dangerous refugee than themselves. 

 

The woman watched them as they slept, mulling over her options. They could not stay, for if they did they would discover her and that was not an option. She could leave this place, but where could she go? This forest was the last place not permeated by the human’s indulgence.  She could kill them, this dark thought existed but a second before she shoved it away. She would not do that, they were likely refugees, like herself, after a fashion. “They would kill you the second they got the chance.” The darker side of her mind whispered. She shook it away. The woman she knelt beside was perhaps in her late 40s, worry lines creased her forehead and cheeks. Near her laid a man, he had shoulder-length hair, black and greying at the roots with a bushy beard, he too had the look of long stress. The closest human moved, and before she had time to run, they had sat up and opened their eyes. The human screamed.

 

Instantly, the whole camp awoke and grabbed for their weapons. The woman, terrified, scampered backward behind a tree. The human who had seen her stood, she spoke to the dark haired man that had lain at her side, “I’m fine, Baines, did you see her?”. 

“Yes,” Baines responded, calling out to the woman, “Who are you? It’s alright, we won’t hurt you.” The woman looked around the tree, causing the humans to get their first real look at her face. It was dirt streaked and weary, her eyes, bright green and youthful, yet even they were gaunt and held signs of wisdom, far beyond her age. There was no denying her beauty. Waves of brown hair framed her face, though it too was streaked with dirt. The girl could not have been older than 19, maybe less. Her face held the thin malnourished look of not having had a proper meal in a very long time. “That’s it, it’s okay” Baines held out his hand beckoning the thin woman. The woman schooled her face to incomprehension and stepped slowly out from behind the tree. 

 

The humans gave a start as they realized she was barefoot. Her gray tunic was dirty and ripped, her black pants the same. Strange tattoos coiled around her biceps and her wrists were wrapped in the same gray fabric as her tunic. She beheld the humans with an anxious caution, shoulders tense. 

“What’s your name?” Called the woman whom she had knelt beside. She kept her face blank and confused. 

“Ilya,” Baines said quietly, “Ilya, I don’t think she speaks English.” He took a step forward. The woman tensed and like a coiled spring lept away through the forest.

 

Immediately the humans began the chase, following the woman as she sprinted through the woods. She streaked through the trees and then, without warning she vaulted off the trunk of an Oak and jumped into the thick branches of another. She scampered along the branches like a squirrel and the humans could not keep up. One of the humans grabbed for his hatchet and, aiming carefully, buried the blade in the branch, an inch from the woman’s foot. She let out a cry and both her and the bough crashed down. They noticed the way she clutched at her ankle, then looked up at them, with the dangerous look of a cornered animal. 

“Who are you” The man with the hatchet shouted shoving a knife in her face. Another human, a woman ran up and grabbed the knife his hand, her dark, ash brown hair hanging in her face, but it was not enough to hide her plain fury. 

“Deon stop; we don’t even know she speaks English!”. 

“Get out of the way Tav! She’s dangerous!”

“She’s just some refugee taking shelter in the woods, same as us!” Tav shouted back. Siblings, the woman thought, there was no hiding the similarities in their eyes and olive skin, and the way they argued. Deon pushed Tav out of the way and started towards her again. He leveled his weapon, a new knife from his belt, at the girl once more and growled,

“Who are you?” 

The girl rolled and attempted to rise until she felt cold steel against her neck. Tav quickly ran over and snatched the knife away, staring daggers at Deon. Throwing the knife aside, she spoke quietly to the woman,

“Hey, just so you know, we aren’t all idiots like my brother over there.” She nodded her head at Deon, “I’m Tavia by the way.” she glanced down at where the woman still held her ankle, “Come on let’s get you someplace to check out that leg.” Tav backed away slowly, but extended her hand, helping the woman up. Deon glared incredulously at his sister and began to protest but Tavia silenced him with a look. 

Tavia helped the woman back to her campsite, with her brother trailing menacingly behind her. There were other humans there, two boys, who, like hazel-eyed Tavia appeared to be in their mid-teens. A short blonde woman slightly older than the boys, but much younger than Ilya and Baines, appeared to be drawing. There was a dark haired woman with the standard tawny amber skin of a Tereshan; she was around the blonde’s age and watched the entering party with a steely contemplation. A large, hazel colored man, who had been a silent member of the girl’s search party, glared at her with some silent loathing. Tavia set her down in a small, newly constructed tent which the humans called the “med bay”. The blonde woman soon came in and began to prod the girl’s foot, wrapping it in some kind of gauze.

 

As gentle fingers wrapped her foot, the blonde began to speak, “My name is Asianne.” She had blue eyes, beautiful eyes, smudges of charcoal creased her nose. “It’s nice to see someone new for once, even if you can’t understand me.” There were shadows in those eyes, carefully buried but ever-present fear too. Dark bags hung under them, creasing an otherwise youthful face. The girl stayed silent. For the first time, startling blue met green, they seemed to gaze into her soul. Asianne sighed, her freckled face furrowed, “I just wish I knew your name.” She shook her head sadly and turned to leave.

“Dria” Asianne turned in shock.

“What?”

“My name is Dria.” The woman repeated

 


	2. Fear

She was an idiot. A harebrained, foolhardy idiot. Cursing herself, Dria watched intently as a brilliant smile spread across Asianne’s face. Then again, maybe she wasn’t so bad.

“You speak English!” Asianne exclaimed.

“Yes”

“Well, please, tell me more! Where is your family? Why are your clothes like that? Where are your shoes? Why are you here?”

“I could ask you the same question. Why are you in these woods?” Dria asked.

“I- We- We had to leave” Asianne looked away from her, a shadowed expression taking over her face.

“I am sorry.” Dria paused for a moment then asked: “What happened?”

“We were betrayed by our people, the leadership turned against us and then-” Her voice broke. “In any case, we couldn’t stay there any longer.” She sighed “We ran in the night.” Dria nodded, her knowing eyes seemed to comprehend Asianne’s unspoken grief. “So, what about you? How did you end up here?”  Dria’s face darkened. “I’m sorry if I overstepped! I just-” Asianne’s mouth twisted, “Why are you alone?” Dria glanced up at her once more and muttered,

“My family is dead.” Asianne’s eyes widened.

“I’m sorry for your loss, my dad died.” She paused, “Can I ask what happened to them?” Dria grimaced and gave a slight shake of her head. “It’s okay, I understand.”

“Thank you, Asianne.” Asianne merely nodded and turned to leave the tent. “Wait!” She turned, confused. “Please do not tell them I speak English.” Dria wrung her hands, “I know how it sounds but in these times… I would be extremely grateful if you did not tell them.” Asianne nodded and gave her a small smile. Then, she was gone.

 

About 10 minutes later, Dria was shepherded out of the tent by the dark-skinned, angry looking man, whom she had noticed earlier. He roughly pushed her along, however instead of returning her to the group, he veered into the woods and shoved her against a tree, pinning her. Glaring at her with unbridled rage, he snarled,

“Look, I don’t know who you are, but I don’t trust you. Why were you watching us? Who do you work for?” Dria carefully kept her expression scared and ignorant. “Well, who is it? The Serecians? The Cardans? I asked you a ques-”

“Lancet! What the hell are you doing!?” Immediately releasing her, Lancet turned irritably to the man pelting towards them.

“She’s a danger Lincoln, I’m just getting to know her.”

“She is not a danger and if you want to start to know her, how about you figure out what language she speaks. It’s not English.” Dria let out a breath, so, Asianne kept her word.

“I disagree, there was fear in her eyes! She knew I was on to her.” Lancet shouted back.

“There was fear in her eyes because you were pinning her to a tree!”

“Hey! Enough! What’s going on here!” Baines and Ilya came running into the scene.

“I was just having a chat with the girl.” Lancet said

“A chat that involved forcing her against a tree” Lincoln said angrily.

“You did what?” Tavia had arrived. In all the commotion, Dria had not left her spot by the tree. But, now as the bustle grew larger, she saw her chance, slipping quietly away from the arguing humans.

Walking silently, she crept back through the trees before-

“So, where are you heading off to?” Dria jumped and nearly decked the boy. “Woah, Woah! Sorry, I-” He looked awkward “My name is Ash, you were the girl they found in the woods this morning, aren’t you?” She stayed silent. He looked at her for a few seconds and then he pointed at himself and said “Ash”, he did it again. Dria, realizing what he was trying to do, pointed at him and said

“Ash”. He laughed and nodded

“Yes! Yes!” he motioned for her to follow him, and she did so, hesitantly. “Okay, I’ve got some people I’d like you to meet.” He motioned her toward a group of people. “This is Wren” he pointed at the Tereshan girl, “and this is Aalif” He pointed at a Hairen looking boy, his slanted eyes held youth and they were creased with smile lines. ‘Aalif’ smiled and waved,

“Do you know her name?” this was directed back at Ash,

“Uh no, but I can try and ask.” He turned half-heartedly back around to Dria before Wren called out, “You are sure she doesn’t speak any English?” Attempting to keep her oblivious mask in place, Dria pretended to wilt under Wren’s penetrating stare,

“Yeah, she can’t understand us.” Wren raised an eyebrow but nodded,

“If you say so,” Dria carefully looked this ‘Wren’ up and down. Wren was smart, and that meant she was dangerous.

 

Soon, Ash brought her back to her tent, where Asianne was waiting. As soon as Ash had left Asianne turned on Dria concern filling her eyes.

“Are you alright? I heard what happened with Lancet.”  

“I am fine”

“Are you sure? You’re not hurt?” Asianne’s ocean eyes bore into Dria’s

“No, Asianne, Lincoln interceded before anything happened.” Asianne sighed,

“Good, Lancet’s always been a bit of a loose cannon.”

“I noticed.” Asianne laughed. It was an odd snort, but to Dria, it was beautiful. Shaking herself, she steeled herself for her next question. If she wasn’t careful with this one… “He seemed to think I was some kind of spy,” Dria grinned, as though the whole idea was ridiculous, continuing on as though some kind of joke, she jested, “Is he paranoid or is there something I should be worried about.” At the word, ‘spy’ Asianne blanched, her shoulders tensing, ready for a fight. But when she turned back to Dria, a laughing smile was present, a smile that never reached suddenly steely ocean eyes.

“Well, we certainly are showing off our best sides today aren’t we,” she quipped, “First Deon knocks you out of a tree, then Lancet throws you into one.” Quickly changing the subject, Dria laughed, saying,

“Well, at least I found a friend.” Asianne flushed and beamed back at her,

“Me too.”

Later she supposed things had been going too well. The universe couldn’t allow her five minutes of peace now could it, for as she stood there, weighing the outcomes of growing attached to a human, the universe decided for her.

 

A scream rent the air,

“Wren!” Asianne sprinted out of the tent with Dria at her heels. Seven people stood in a clearing, six warriors, one holding Wren, a knife pressed against her throat. Dria quickly ducked behind the cover of a thick maple.

The man holding Wren spoke,

“I’m looking for a something! Brown hair, green eyes. She was last seen in these woods. Where is she?”

“What are you talking about? Let me go you psycho!” Wren struggled futilely against his grip.

“Tell me where she is or your friend dies!”

“WAIT!” Deon shouted “Okay there was a girl. We found her in the woods! But, I don’t know her name, and last I saw she was back at our camp!” A savage grin spread across the man’s face.

“Lead the way”

“Wait!” Dria froze as she felt cold iron pressed against her neck. “Up” the warrior ordered. She stood and he forced her toward the clearing. “I found this one hiding in the trees!” Asianne’s eyes filled with fear.

“It’s her” the man called back. “Kill it and let’s go”. As the man readied to kill her, Dria twisted, knocking the knife out of his hands. She threw up her palm, landing the butt of her hand upwards at the base of his nose, the man crumpled, and she turned to face the rest.

“What the-” Tavia breathed. Dria grabbed the knife off the ground and threw it, embedding it the Wren’s captor’s skull. Wren sprinted back toward her people. The men rushed at her, bearing swords and teeth. Dria moved like a whirlwind, disarming and killing with mechanized prowess. Her hands seemed to move of their own accord, slashing, spinning both blade and body. Blood dripped from blades now red as Rohar flowers.

“How-” Deon pointed a shaky hand at the bodies now surrounding Dria.

“There’s no time. Listen, go back to your camp, grab anything you need and meet me at the waterfall.”

“You speak English.” Baines stammered, Dria wanted to roll her eyes,

“No time.” Foolish man, she had just killed six people and his complaint was her language? Foolish, “Those men are extremely dangerous and if there were six then there will be more! Now GO!” The humans turned and sprinted back towards their camp. Dria stared around a sense of foreboding settling on her shoulders. They had found her.

The humans met up with Dria about half an hour later carrying a few bags and weapons. “Good,” Dria called “you are here”

   “About that” Deon said angrily “Are you going to explain what the hell is going on!? Since when do you speak English? How did you know how to fight like that? Why were those men looking for you?”

“The less you know, the safer you are.” Dria muttered focusing on stuffing arrows into a quiver.

  “Really,” said Wren snarkily, “because I know absolutely nothing about you and yet I ended up with some psychos trying to kill me.”

   “Exactly!” Dria exclaimed, “Think about how much worse it would be if I told you.”

“Just tell us what you’re trying so desperately to hide!”  Wren advanced, fists balled,

“Enough!” Dria growled, “you and your people need to leave these woods. They are no longer safe.”

“Can you at least tell us who those men were?” Asianne pleaded. Dria sighed, fools, all of them.

“They will not bother you if I am gone.” Asianne placed a hand on her shoulder, Dria grimaced, fools

“All right, they were Deiro Codra.”

“Deiro Codra! The Deiro Codra!” Deon hissed, “What the hell have you gotten us into!”

“’I’ did not get us into anything, you were the one who forced me back to your camp!”

“SHUT UP!” Asianne yelled, “EVERYONE JUST SHUT UP!” They went silent. “Look, if those men were Deiro Codra then she is right. None of us are safe. We should get moving.”

“First she has to explain what in the hell is going on!” Deon bellowed. Suddenly Dria was right up in Deon’s face.

“Listen to me boy, you entered my woods, you attacked me, you lead those men here. So shut up and get moving, they will be tracking me now. The farther you get away from here the safer you will be. So. Go.” She snarled. Deon stared fearfully into her eyes and grabbed his bag,

“She’s right, let’s go” The humans glanced at her and followed the boy into the woods. Dria ran her fingers across her scalp, what would she do now. Her last sanctuary had been exposed. She too picked up her bags and turned, leaving the opposite direction from the humans. A familiar feeling was prickling at the base of her spine. Ignoring it, she pushed forward through the trees. Anxiety built in the base of her stomach, goosebumps formed on her arms. Dria stopped dead. That feeling... A howl broke the silence. Dria dropped her bags and pelted back towards the humans. She knew that sound.

 


	3. Xeowal

 

**_Deon_ **

 

Blood. Screaming. His head rang, spots danced before his eyes. He realized he was on the ground. The world came back into focus. 

“Deon!” Asianne was screaming his name. He tried to sit up but someone was holding him down.  Not someone, something. A silver wolf bigger than any he had ever seen stood on his chest. The creature bared its teeth, mouth foaming. In a haze of pain and blood, he vaguely remembered old stories his mother used to tell him. Of Mythical creatures, spirits who held the world together. He remembered his mother’s voice, her smile telling him ‘Above all the creatures that controlled the earth, most feared was the Ice Wolf! Twice the size of a regular wolf, the color of fresh snow, deadlier than a thousand warriors, this beast worked for the dark order. Deiro Codra. It’s true, he thought, it’s all true. The Dark Order, Ice Wolves. All of it. Later he would forget, but as his vision turned to black he saw a figure running towards him. She spoke and great wings expanded from her back, emerald eyes glowing with uncontrollable power.

 

_**Dria** _

 

Dria ran faster than she ever had in her life. She heard screaming and she ran faster still. She broke through the trees to find a gruesome scene. The boy, Deon was on the ground. Blood soaked through his shirt and dripped down his face. A Xeowal stood growling on his chest. Asianne and Wren were screaming. Tavia was throwing sticks at the creature, yelling insults and trying to attract its attention. Lincoln was doing everything in his power to stop her. Aalif and Ash were both cowering on the ground. Lancet was unconscious next to Baines and Ilya. The Xeowal growled. Dria took a deep breath and shouted,

“An bahara. Ge ba! Lev te manesca.” The Wolf stared at her, angry but no longer baring its teeth. “At ode tu bahara, coto al!” The wolf’s eyes lost their anger. It padded over to Dria whimpering. She knelt and stretched out her hand. The wolf nuzzled it and closed its eyes. Cupping its snout in her hands she whispered, “Roam Free” The wolf turned and walked away into the woods. 

“How- What- How did you do that?” whispered Baines

“Spirit Tongue” Lincoln murmured “That was Spirit Tongue!”

“Few know it exists,” Dria said, “Fewer still can speak it.” Baines opened his mouth to speak but Dria silenced him with a look. “There is no time now if the Ice Wolves have come then things are worse than I feared.” She knelt beside Deon and heaved him to his feet, draping his unconscious body over her shoulder. “Come” It was an order, she gestured to the humans and left. 

 

_**Asianne** _

 

This had to be a dream. It had to be. Please, let this be a dream. Dria led them towards a cave near the waterfall, it was so well camouflaged that she doubted she would have found it even with careful searching had Dria not shown them the way. Deon was still unconscious draped across Dria’s shoulders and Lancet was being half dragged by Baines and Ilya. She and Wren drifted along behind the group, arms around each other. She could not get the image of that wolf out of her mind. Silvery-white and snarling, its fangs dripping with blood, mouth foaming. It couldn’t be real. It shouldn’t be real. She would not let it be real.

 

_ They were walking in uneasy silence. A wolf howl had struck the air making them all on edge. Deon hacked branches out of their way, Tavia at his side. Asianne had seen it first, the wolf. Its blue eyes gleamed suddenly out of the darkness. She opened her mouth to scream and in that time the wolf leaped, claws slicing past Lancet, throwing him. Deon leaped forwards shielding Tavia and Asianne. He raised his hatchet. Too late. The wolf lunged slamming Deon to the ground, the impact hitting Asianne and Tavia too; tavia’s sword flew out of her hand into the darkness of the trees. Then Deon had screamed. Asianne had never heard a scream like that. It seemed to rend the air, sucking all hope from the surroundings and replacing it with the sound of pure agony. The wolf sunk its claws into Deon’s chest, snapping at his shoulder, the smell of blood filled her nostrils. She heard screaming, loud horrible screaming, then realized it was herself. And then… and then… Dria had come running out of nowhere. Her voice calm and steely, shouting something and the wolf had gone. _

 

Loud voices jolted Asianne back to the present. Dria swept everything off a table and then laid Deon onto it. 

“We need bandages!” Shouted Ilya, she was applying pressure to Deon’s wounds. Dria ran over to a bag and began to pull first aid supplies out. Deon was unconscious but still moaning in pain. Asianne ran over to him and felt his face, 

“Mom he’s burning up” She shouted over her shoulder to Ilya. 

“That’ll be the poison.” Said Dria, she was rummaging through another bag now, pulling vials out. 

“Poison?”

“Yes, Ice Wolves’ fangs are poisonous. It is incredibly hard to cure and relies as much on the victim’s will to live as it does the anti-venom itself.” She rushed over to Deon’s side clutching 3 small vials. She poured them all into a small bowl and mushed in some ugly looking weeds. Pressing the bowl to Deon’s lips, she ordered. “Hold him down.”

“What?” Tavia voice was deadly calm

“This antidote is going to hurt like hell and taste even worse, so please hold him down, time is of the essence here.” Tavia quickly came over and held his right shoulder down. Wren and Lincoln came over too, Wren held his left shoulder and Lincoln gripped his legs. “You ready?” Dria asked, they all nodded grimly. “Okay then,” and she poured the liquid into his mouth. 

On contact, Deon began to writhe and yell. Then he started to scream. Tavia stared in horror, forgetting for a few seconds to hold him; his arm flashed up and struck her. She was thrown to the floor but barely seemed to notice, 

“What the hell did you do to him!?” She cried, securing his shoulder.

“Hopefully” Dria grunted, still trying to force the liquid down his throat “I saved him.” Then as sudden as it had begun, his seizing stopped. 

“Deon!” Tavia cried “Is he…” Dria quickly checked his pulse. There was a silent moment, all of them staring at Dria, then…

“He lives.”


	4. Answers

_**Dria** _

 

         She knew this was dangerous, harboring humans in her home. She knew that it would likely lead to the deaths of everyone involved, and yet… She did not know why she was doing it, helping them. She just couldn’t get the blonde girl’s screams out of her head. Asianne was gently wiping Deon’s face with a rag. She was ashen-faced and anxious, the mirror of all the humans, except for Lancet. He was just angrily standing in the corner, staring at Dria. Whenever she caught his eye, he seemed to recoil, and his hand twitched towards his knife. She always held his gaze, and he was always the first to look away. She had a feeling he knew better than the others, how dangerous it was to be near her, and how dangerous she personally was. Ilya sat in the other corner, Baines’s arm around her shoulder, hugging a terrified Tavia, whose face was even paler than Asianne’s. Lincoln stood next to Lancet, as though he was making sure Lancet didn’t do something stupid, Wren was there too, her arms crossed threateningly. Dria felt the threat was not aimed directly at her, but more at the entire situation, daring it to get worse. Then there were the two boys, Ash and Aalif. They were sitting together, pale and afraid. They were children, Dria realized. They had the innocence and naivety that the rest had lost some time ago. They were unprepared for the speed of the unfolding events, nor the danger they presented. Dria pitied them, but at the same time envied them. To be ignorant of the world’s evils, to hope, that was an exercise that Dria had not used for many, many years. She was grateful to those boys, grateful that she knew at least two people who still believed in hope.    
  
  


_**Asianne** _

 

Deon grunted, then groaned, 

“Oh my god!” She and Tavia said at the same time

“Loud.” Deon muttered. Asianne smiled, Deon was going to be just fine.

“You’re alive” cried Wren

“thank god” breathed Aalif. Lancet’s scowl slipped slightly. He walked forwards, then, without warning, embraced Deon in a tight hug.

“gah… Lancet… Can’t breathe…” choked Deon. Lancet gripped his shoulders and laughed, beaming

“You gave us all quite the scare there Mr. Barnett” Deon grinned. Tavia hurtled towards him, knocking Lancet out of the way and slapped Deon across the face. 

“YOU SON OF A BITCH!”

“Oww, Tavi- “ 

“YOU ALMOST DIED!” and then she was hugging him, crying into his shoulder, Deon smiled, “Don’t you ever do that again.”

“I’ll try, where are we anyway?” He asked, looking around the large cave. Asianne had never gotten a real look at the place, she had been too busy worrying about Deon to notice much else. It was a medium-sized cave, a spartan living space, with the only furniture being the table and a small bedroll off to one side. There was a small fire pit in one corner and some sacks, holding different sorts of items, medical supplies, vegetables, and some furs, tucked away for the winter months. 

“My home” called Dria.

“Your-” Spluttered Deon

“Yes, my home. That’s my dinner table you’re lying on.” She pointed. He looked around and tried to get off the table. Dria was there in a flash her hand pressing his chest back down onto the table. “Sit down, you’ll tear your stitches.”

“I- You live here?” He said, looking around wildly.

“Yes,” She sighed, “You will be safe here for now, but the second he can move, we are leaving.” she directed the last towards Baines and Ilya.

“We?” Ilya asked, “I thought you weren’t coming with us”

“I am now.” Dria stated grimly, “If the Ice Wolves are involved then things are much worse than I feared.”

“Worse?” Wren broke in, her eyes were still puffy, “How can this possibly get worse?!” 

“Be thankful you still live Wren” Dria said sharply, “You are lucky.”

“Lucky! Lancet is injured, a man held a knife to my throat, Deon almost died-“

“Almost!” Dria snapped, “he almost died. Do you think most people can just walk off an Ice Wolf attack? Most people would kill for the lack of injuries your people have. You complain of what, a head gash and torn shoulder, you do not even realize the blessing you have received!” Dria sighed and resigned her face. “If the ice wolves are involved you will no longer be safe outside of my company. There is nothing you can do now, it has happened, and we will all be lucky if we get out of this alive. I advise you get some sleep. We have a long day ahead of us.”

 

Lincoln wrapped his arm around Tavia’s shoulder and pulled her away. Baines helped Deon stand and the two men walked over to the wall and sat down. Ilya and Lancet guided the two boys to sit in a corner. Only Asianne, Wren and Dria still remained at the table. Wren glowered at Dria, shaking hands clenched into barely controlled fists. 

“I don’t know what it is you’re hiding, but rest assured, I will find out.” Wren turned and walked to the edge of the cave, slumping down and sleeping.

 

_**Dria** _

 

She sat herself down heavily in a corner of the cave. What had she gotten herself into? Helping humans? What next, was she going to hold a harvest feast for the Dark Order? She sighed, staring around her home. The humans were arranged around it asleep, Tavia with her arm around Deon, Ilya clutching Baines’s hand. They were good people, she realized, all scared but good, even Lancet seemed to be reacting more out of fear than hate.  As they slept she noticed things she had not before, Lincoln had a tattoo on his right forearm, crossed staves behind a hawk, the symbol of a Serecian military official. Lancet bore the same. Baines and Ilya wore matching silver chains around their necks, she could just make out a ring on each. If her suspicions were correct, both bore the hawk of Serecia, the ring of a councilman. Wren, on the other hand, held signs of chronic malnutrition, not to mention the odd bone structure of her left wrist, which appeared to have an improperly healed fracture. Either Wren had grown up in extreme poverty, or she had been abused, perhaps both. Dria yawned, she too needed rest. Closing her eyes, she leaned back into the rough stone wall and drifted into fitful sleep.

 

A scream. The child jerked awake and came face to face with her mother. _ “Get up child. We have to go!  Run! RUN!” _ The little girl jumped out of bed and grabbed for her stuffed wolf. However, her mother pulled her away. “ _ There is no time! I said RUN! _ ” The child was pulled out of the hut and into the sunlight, only it was not sunlight. The sky was on fire, stars were falling, crashing into huts and crops, burning everything. The child lifted her hands, shielding her face from the heat. _ “RUN!” _ shouted her mother. They ran, zigzagging between burning homes, surrounded by screaming voices. Then they saw the soldiers, they marched forwards, bearing their swords high. Bowmen, shooting off burning arrows, the falling stars. They slashed and stabbed at the fleeing people, laughing as they fell and stepping over their bodies to the next, and the next. The men came towards the child and her mother. Clutching at her mother’s skirts, the terrified child looked for some escape. Trapped against her burning hut she cried, 

_ “Mama? What’s happening? Why are they doing this? _ ” 

“ _ Listen to me. When I give the word, you run! You run and do not look back! No matter what you hear, no matter what happens you keep running, understand? Do not tell anyone who you are! Be safe. I love you. May the spirits guide you. _ ” Her mother embraced the child, one last time and pushed her towards the woods. Throwing herself in the way of the soldiers...

 

Dria sat up, panting and sweating. Her whole body shook with what she had witnessed. ‘Shake it off’ she thought, clambering to her feet. It had been a long time since she had dreamt of that night. A very long time. 

 

_**Ilya** _

 

“You know you mutter in your sleep.” Ilya was watching her, sitting cross-legged in a chair. Dria practically jumped out of her skin, warily, she turned toward Ilya.“Though, I admit, I am unfamiliar with the language you spoke.” Dria stiffened, shoulders tense, ready for a fight. An almost imperceptible shift, even to Ilya’s trained eye. “You never told us why the Dark Order was looking for you.” Her eyes were narrowed and searching. A icy darkness lurked behind blue eyes so much like her daughter’s.

“No,” Dria replied, “I did not.” Ilya waited for a few more minutes before realizing that she would get nothing from the green-eyed woman. Instead, she gave Dria a quizzical look, and asked,

“Why are you alone? You’re what, 22 and yet you live in a cave, with no shoes and torn, soiled clothing. You clearly know how to handle yourself in a fight, you speak a language so rare that you made Lincoln gape and you have expertise in poisons and creatures that should not even exist. I do not understand you Dria, and I fear you. You saved our lives, you shared your home and food, but you expect no thanks. Why? Why are you so…?” Ilya broke off, seemingly lost for words.

Dria smiled. It was the first such expression Ilya had seen from the girl. She looked at Ilya as if to a child. Ilya was confused, was that… amusement on her face?

"I'm 19 actually," Dria said 

"You're a teenager." Ilya raised her eyebrows. "A teenager with medical experience, combat skills and a warrant out from the dark order." Ilya laughed and ran her fingers through her hair, "when did this become my life?" Dria just smiled and gave a small shrug. 

“In my experience, life enjoys making fools of even the most prepared. You should get some rest Ilya, the days ahead will be hard, and sleep will be valuable.” Dria turned, grabbed a cloak and walked out of the cave.

“Where are you going?” 

“Hunting.”   
  


   Dria returned some half an hour later, three fat rabbits over her shoulder. By the time she returned, the rest of the humans had risen and were chattering away inside the cave. The buzz of conversation cut off abruptly when Dria walked through the entrance. They all stared at her warily. “Have you all packed and readied yourselves?” She asked. 

“Yes,” Baines was nervous, but trying to hide it. His attempt failed, miserably. 

“Alright then, time to head out.”

Dria packed their bags with dried meat and left enough bloody shreddings of the rabbits that the cave appeared to be the home of a fox or wolf, after she disposed of the more suspicious belongings. As the humans filed out of the cave, Dria took one last look at what had been her home. Now, only shreds remained of the last safe place in the world. What would she do now?


	5. On the run

_**Dria** _

 

It took them six days to get to the nearest civilization. Dria had been hesitant about entering such a populated place, but eventually, she had ceded to the fact that the more people there were, the less likely someone was to pick them out of a crowd.  They all wore dark cloaks, better to blend in with the sooty country.

 

The city was called Wartenea, it was a crowded and dank place. The dirty streets seemed to be made of more mud than stone. The sky was an ugly gray, clouds warning of rain swallowed the sun. Walking through the city, the whole world felt black and white, people hurried through the streets their faded leathers blending with the dirt and dusty buildings. Dria hated these places, with deadened, broken people. All accepting their fate of silence and violence. All knowing the truth of the people who ruled and yet still not caring. Emotion and feeling were dead. All that was left was the grayscale city, filled with the stench of death. 

 

The humans did not seem to even notice the dark or smell. They walked through the city streets as outsiders, true, but without the disgust or pity Dria had. Their first order of business was finding an inn, a place to sleep and eat. Their food storage was running low, and animals waned the farther they had gone from the forest. Those few they had seen were sickly and malnourished, worse off to eat then it would to be starving. Soon, they had found a small inn, they walked in quickly. It was called the White Palace, though Dria thought she had never seen a building so opposite of its name. The building was grimy and broken down, its walls were cracked and leaning. Dria pulled her hood farther down her face. These people were not the kind she wanted knowing what she looked like. 

 

Those who sat in this particular inn were an especially dangerous few. With shifting arms and roaring laughter, the glint of deadly iron showed from their hips and cloaks. Their faces, covered in dirt and stubble all showed dark eyes, flicking and watching. These people would kill for a single bronze coin. Dria carefully averted her eyes from a group who were watching them and made her way to the counter.

  
  
  


_**Deon** _

   Deon was uncomfortable. It wasn’t like he hadn’t been in a place like this before, but he was nervous. He had a bad feeling, he could feel eyes on him, staring out of the shadows, watching in the dark. The hairs on his neck prickled. He watched Baines and Ilya carefully, they, he knew, had never been in this type situation. He watched as they treaded carefully over the uneven stone. They both seemed rather repulsed at the filthy, rotten Inn and its equally revolting people. Deon heard a scuffle behind him, a large man towered over Dria, she appeared to be apologizing for knocking into him. 

   “Seya tuse.” He growled, Dria bowed deeply and responded

   “Me guiless, Hao Mahor. Mi wil meer varovain.” Deon stared at her. When she caught up with him he whispered,

   “You speak Cardish?”

   “Yes.” She barely looked at him, rummaging through her pockets.

   “But, how?” He asked incredulously, finally, she turned and looked him in the eye.

   “I speak many languages, Deon, I have been many places and if you want me to list off my life story we will be standing here for awhile, so let’s just get some beds and stop crowding the common room.” Then, she turned and walked straight up to the counter. “We need a room.” 

“How many you got?” the innkeeper asked. He was a large, beefy man, with beady eyes and a gravelly voice, scrubbing at a tankard with an even dirtier rag. 

“Nine.” The innkeeper raised his eyebrows and looked them over.

“Can you pay for it?”  Deon shifted his feet, saying

“We can work an-”

“We can pay” Dria interrupted, placing a handful of silver coins on the counter. The innkeeper looked over the coins then nodded, saying

“I got two rooms to spare. Connected, but you might not have enough beds.” 

“That will be fine.” She said quickly.

“A’ight, I’ll show ‘em to you.” Dria thanked him and they followed the innkeeper up the stairs.  

The rooms were spare and slightly dirty,  though they were much better kept than Dria would have thought, given the state of the common room. 

“This will be excellent, thank you, sir.” Dria smiled and the innkeeper left the room. As soon as he was out of earshot, Deon grabbed her arm and hissed 

“Where did you get that money? You certainly didn’t have it when we left.” 

“You are correct, I did not.” Dria’s gaze was cool and challenging.

“Then where-” Dria tore her arm out of his grip

“Touch me again and you lose that hand.” Dria glared at him, Deon immediately pulled his arm farther away from her, “Where do you think I got it?” 

“You stole it?” 

“Yes.” It was a statement. There was no guilt or apology on her face, just that cold, unblinking stare, daring you to do something about it.

“You can’t just steal from people!” 

“And why is that?” Her voice was dangerously icy now.

“Because-Because it’s wrong!”

“Really, Deon, because it is wrong.” She replied, mockingly, “Tell me, how is it that you were forced to leave your country? Because I seriously doubt it was something so small as petty thievery.” She turned to the group. “What brought you together? Were you all sentenced to execution together. “A bunch of disgraced politicians and military officers?”

“How-” Baines spluttered

“We do not have the time or the luxury of being upstanding citizenry. If any of those people knew who we are, what we are running from, they would sell us to our deaths without a second thought.”

“What does it matter? We are dead anyway, we’re being hunted by the Deiro Codra. What’s left to do?” Deon spat angrily, “Another day, all the same, walking farther and farther, with no place in mind. It’s pointless!”

“Would you prefer dying?” Asianne had finally spoken. “I wouldn’t. Besides, until we showed up Dria seemed to be managing pretty well.” Deon’s eyes lost their fire. The group settled into an uneasy silence, all watching each other and setting up sleeping arrangements.

 

_**Asianne** _

 

   They were gone by the time the sun had risen. The group had left shortly after midnight, the darkness shielding their movements. Silence reigned as they made their way across the pitted ground. They had traveled much farther into the metropolitan area now. There were fewer and fewer miles between each passing city, and no wildlife to be found. Only the flocks of ravens and rare fox, padding along, searching for non-existent food. Another conspiracy flew over their heads, the dark birds cawing agitatedly. Asianne was the first to break the silence.

“Ugh, I hate those birds. They’re so creepy.” She shuddered.

“I don’t know, I like them.” Wren quipped

“You only like them because you’re named after a bird.” Asianne laughed.

“Maybe.” She replied, “But you have to admit, they are beautiful.”

“They are in a way I suppose,” Asianne acquiesced, “But still, they are the birds of death.”

“And that makes them evil?” Dria queried. 

“Doesn’t it? They’re a bad omen, they feed on the dead.”

“Ravens are only bad omens because people made them such, in fact, they are also omens of luck and freedom to some people.” Dria gazed sadly up at the birds, “Death is not evil, Asianne, it is merely the next step. Death is beautiful, not cruel, not kind, however much it is despised.” Her face was mournful, she surveyed the winged creatures with something close to grief... and wistfulness. It was as if she was missing something. 

“Is that how ravens are viewed where you are from?” Tavia inquired. 

“It depends on the family, but yes, ravens are not hated where I am from.” 

“Where are you from?” Ash asked, 

“That is none of your concern.” Dria cautioned, though she gave the boy a small smile to show she meant no insult. Ilya scrutinized her face,

“He raises a good point though, where are you from? Your accent is foreign but I’ve never heard it before. You speak fluently but in such a way that I would guess English is not your first language.” 

“It is not, however, my past is my own, and none of your business.” Dria spoke with such finality that it was obvious no one was going to get her to say anymore. Baines broke the uncomfortable silence,

“We should stop at the next village for supplies.” The group murmured assent and continued walking. 

         They reached the next village in good time, buying what they needed from the traders. This village, Gerela, it was called, was smaller than Wartenea, but no less dreary. Beggars lined the streets, raising their withered arms in calls for food and shelter. Ilya and Baines gaped in horror at the conditions surrounding them. Asianne herself could barely hold back tears, was this what the outside world was like? Starving children everywhere, while others just walked past ignoring them? She had known that her life had been better than most, but this? Wren and Bellamy looked upon the scene with recognition, and Dria seemed completely unfazed. Aalif looked sick. Asianne hurried up to Dria, 

“We can’t just leave these people here. We have to do something.” Dria hushed her and surveyed the area for listening ears. Once she was assured that no one was paying them any attention she whispered,

“And what would you have us do? We give them all some food and they starve to death a few days later, we would be dead in a few days too, because of the attention it would bring us. You have to let some things go, Asianne.”

“These people are dying! We can’t just let them suffer like this!” She hissed. Dria turned, 

“Then end it,” She removed a knife from its holster on her leg, “End their suffering forever, they would probably thank you.” Asianne stared, incredulous at Dria, “No? Then keep your head down and pray we didn’t attract any attention.”

Asianne glared for a few seconds more, then, tugging up her hood, continued down the cobbled street. 

 

_**Dria** _   
  


   Also tugging her hood, Dria tried to keep her eyes off the starving beggars. Perhaps she should not have snapped so at Asianne. She shook her head, scowling, no, the girl had to learn at some point, but still, such compassion was rare in a world so far gone. She hoped their delay had not caught any eyes, notice of foreigners was the last thing they needed right now. They would be out of here soon with a little luck, out and free. The cramped buildings on either side seemed to be squeezing inward, trapped, never again, never! 

“Dria? Dria are you alright?” Asianne, her hand lay on Dria’s shoulder, concern tightening around her eyes. 

“I am fine, Asianne.” Never again.


End file.
